After the leaders’ debate, Kate Hoey launched a vile attack on John McDonnell. But the online response was just perfect.

On 23 November, former Labour MP for Vauxhall Kate Hoey launched a scandalous and unprovoked attack on her former party in the Daily Telegraph. In particular, she took aim at shadow chancellor John McDonnell.

But people on social media reacted beautifully and reminded us exactly how we should remember her shameful political career.

Her record and reaction

Despite this unjustified attack, the Daily Telegraph journalist introduced Hoey as “remarkable” and “fearless”:

My interview with the remarkable, fearless Kate Hoey: John McDonnell is a 'nasty, devious figure behind the scenes', Kate Hoey warns, as she steps down  https://t.co/zJqPp5PFxM via @Telegraph

— Allison Pearson (@AllisonPearson) November 23, 2019

But people on social media weren’t long in setting the record on Hoey straight. They aptly summed up her shameful political career:

https://twitter.com/David__Osland/status/1198198725858013185

There was me thinking that when Kate Hoey refused to implement Labour policies as a Labour MP, agreed by Labour members, cuddled up to Nigel Farage to help his Brexit Lobbying & supported Tory Austerity it was Kate Hoey who was being devious & nasty? https://t.co/y58mfrsaQo

— John Clarke (@JohnClarke1960) November 23, 2019

Many shared their great disgust that Hoey could be remembered favourably. Some reacted by putting her comments about McDonnell in context:

https://twitter.com/ElCorbynista/status/1198222539987849221?s=20

Kate Hoey advised Johnson as London mayor, led the hunting lobby, said she wouldn't be upset if Cameron kicked out Gordon Brown and sucked up to Farage. Been stealing a living off Labour voters for years. She'll make a great Tory dame. https://t.co/kA4ShAl58X

— Brian Reade (@BrianReade) November 23, 2019

Comedian and writer Alex Kealy gave his unique assessment of Hoey’s record:

kate hoey: what has the labour party come to when i, a pro-fox hunting anti-immigration MP who was once chair of the countryside alliance, no longer feel welcome in its ranks pic.twitter.com/Cpnkgt3iyG

— Alex Kealy (@alexkealy) November 23, 2019

The comments about fox hunting are important given Hoey’s shameful record of ‘consistently voting against the hunting ban’.

Others, meanwhile, couldn’t work out just how she’d remained in the Labour Party for so long:

https://twitter.com/DemeryUK/status/1198171203392987137

Tell her by her friends

Supporting a party as shameful as the DUP and a person like Nigel Farage, as she did, it’s really a wonder how she stayed in Labour for so long. Add to this Hoey’s reaction to last night’s BBC Leaders Debate, and it again asks, what exactly was she doing in Labour?

Am I correct in thinking that Fiona Bruce is interrupting @BorisJohnson much more than any of the others and in a slightly more aggressive way

— Kate Hoey (@CatharineHoey) November 22, 2019

What we need to remember about Hoey

Perhaps the right-wing media hoped this story may distract from Johnson’s shocking performance in the leaders’ debate. But comments made by people on social media tell us all we need to know and remember about Hoey. The company she kept and her voting record show it’s time to say nothing more than ‘goodbye and good riddance’.

Featured image via Owen Jones – screengrab &  Wikimedia – Transition Heathrow